Newb Questions

[KKenn]

I would like to first introduce myself.

Hello all!

I recently bought a Bonsai from Wal-Mart. I didn't really have high hopes for it at first but now I would really like to learn more about it and possibly save it.

When I bought it it only said "Bonsai" it didn't give me a specific name for the type of tree it is.
Here are some pics:


Should I even bother with it or do you guys think it's saveable?
Any help would be great.

Thanks!

[ynot]

Your links are not working.

[KKenn]

Your links are not working.

HEHE Sorry bout that, try these:

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/387154716_8d2eb7b34c.jpg?v=0

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/387154713_0134170b04_m.jpg

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/387154710_760ac7fd2b_m.jpg

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/387154707_75aed070d2_m.jpg

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/387154703_bc9b8db3c3_m.jpg

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/387154699_895c111cf7_m.jpg

[Gnome]

Kkenn,

Hello, welcome to the forum. Your tree looks to be some type of Ficus. If you are able to please take some more pictures or if you had resized those upload different versions that are not so small.
[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]Here[/url] are some pointers on taking better pictures.

Norm

[Bonsaimatt]

well although I'm not a super expert...

I'd say it looks as though it will live. I'd remove the damaged leaves (unless it's alot, 1-5 should be no problem). Some look like they have insect damage, look under the leaves for eggs and bugs, if you find some try and identify them (you should be able to borrow garden insect books from the libery, most of them are very informative) and get rid of them. You got it from wal-mart huh... are the rocks glued down? If so, repot with no glued in rocks, if not - the soil may need to changed anyways (I notice a lot of "not-for-bonsai" soils in "bonsai" from wal mart. If it's a ficus it should take repotting well (just don't trim the roots) since it's an indoors plant. BTW a little "super thrive" should help too (I always use it). And at that you should be fine. (see what ynot has to say, he's smart on bonsai!!)

[KKenn]

well although I'm not a super expert...

I'd say it looks as though it will live. I'd remove the damaged leaves (unless it's alot, 1-5 should be no problem). Some look like they have insect damage, look under the leaves for eggs and bugs, if you find some try and identify them (you should be able to borrow garden insect books from the libery, most of them are very informative) and get rid of them. You got it from wal-mart huh... are the rocks glued down? If so, repot with no glued in rocks, if not - the soil may need to changed anyways (I notice a lot of "not-for-bonsai" soils in "bonsai" from wal mart. If it's a ficus it should take repotting well (just don't trim the roots) since it's an indoors plant. BTW a little "super thrive" should help too (I always use it). And at that you should be fine. (see what ynot has to say, he's smart on bonsai!!)

Cool, thanks I can get better pics as soon as the sun comes out here. My house is super dark during the day so I can't get really good pics today.
Also, since my house dosn't get a lot of natural light should I put the tree in a window? I chechked for bugs and havn't any.
Thanks for you help

[Bonsaimatt]

yeah window light is good, mostly morning sun. afternoon sun can burn leaves. If your house is as dark a you say, you might wanna look into floresent lighting for plants. Search the forums for lighting help. But if you got good (4-6 hours) morning sun, then your bonsai should be ok. If your really interested in bonsai for business or hobby or even just to have one or two, buy a Bonsai book. For first timers I like to say 101 Bonsai Basics is a great book. It really does have 101 points about bonsai that you need to know. Get other books as you surpass that one. Of course I'm not saying "only get that book" feel free to read as much as possible. Full absorbition is key to full progress. Peace

[Gnome]

Kkenn,

Also, since my house dosn't get a lot of natural light should I put the tree in a window?

Yes get it into as much light as possible. Our homes are much too dark for the vast majority of plants. Ficus will tolerate low light conditions but really do much better in bright light.

Consider getting some supplemental lighting. A simple fluorescent fixture will help immensely. From what I can see of the soil, and has been noted, it is probably in a very poor mix. Begin some research about proper bonsai soils. Check out the sticky thread at the top of the forum.

Norm

[ynot]

(see what ynot has to say, he's smart on bonsai!!)

Thank you very much but not really...I [And dare I say so Gnome also] have just made a few [OK- More than a few ] mistakes and we are trying to pass on what has worked...Your mileage may vary. [img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/cool/cowboy.gif[/img]

I absolutely appreciate the compliment though. [img]https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/1939/u4jchinaec9.gif[/img]
{Especially from someone who recognizes that the 'soil' in the 'bonsai' from wal-mart is substandard {I am putting it politely.}

Also, since my house dosn't get a lot of natural light should I put the tree in a window?

Yes get it into as much light as possible. Our homes are much too dark for the vast majority of plants. Ficus will tolerate low light conditions but really do much better in bright light.[/quote]Right on Gnome,
KKEn, I assure you that if you think it is dark your tree sees it as very very very dark. Provided you have good quality [non air leaking as we don't want him sitting in temps below 50 or 55f] windows go ahead and get that guy as much light as possible.

Consider getting some supplemental lighting. A simple fluorescent fixture will help immensely.

This is a good idea and it is far cheaper to obtain and run [surprisingly] helpful lighting than most people realize.

From what I can see of the soil, and has been noted, it is probably in a very poor mix. Begin some research about proper bonsai soils. Check out the sticky thread at the top of the forum.

Yes do study up on soil/ soil components [And why they are effective] as a repot will do no good until you have something more effective to put it into.

That soil does not look great to me... One thing at a time though:
Research, research research... Start with soil, Watering and lighting, Your tree will love you for it.

ynot

[KKenn]

Wow! This forum rocks!

I'm going to research some tonight and go to get a new pot and soil for it tomorrow.

It's not suprising that the soil is bad tho, Wal Mart has a tendency to not care about any living thing in it's path LOL I get pissed everytime I see the fish there, especially the bettas. And it just so happens that my Bonsai was on a display right next to all the betta fish in the cups...it was like the aisle of death or something. hehe

[Gnome]

KKenn,

I'm going to research some tonight and go to get a new pot and soil for it tomorrow.

It may not be that simple. Most people go through a period of confusion and difficulty in locating the proper components. It is not really that hard but locating and selecting the components may have you scratching your head for a while.

You will need an in-organic component, or several and an organic component, usually bark chips. Please be aware that whatever products you select will need to be sieved to remove the fines that will only tend to clog your soil and impede drainage.

Your other option is to purchase a ready made product, but I have only seen it for sale in my area once. You can find it on-line but you will be paying for shipping and that takes the control of the mixture out of your hands.
Norm

[Bonsaimatt]

KKenn,

I'm going to research some tonight and go to get a new pot and soil for it tomorrow.

It may not be that simple. Most people go through a period of confusion and difficulty in locating the proper components. It is not really that hard but locating and selecting the components may have you scratching your head for a while.

You will need an organic component, or several and an organic component, usually bark chips. Please be aware that whatever products you select will need to be sieved to remove the fines that will only tend to clog your soil and impede drainage.

Your other option is to purchase a ready made product, but I have only seen it for sale in my area once. You can find it on-line but you will be paying for shipping and that takes the control of the mixture out of your hands.
Norm

Yeah I'm going thru that right now

[Gnome]

Matt,

Feel free to ask any questions and we will do our best to help. Sorry about the typo above (organic VS organic), I have corrected my error.

Norm

[ynot]

Yeah I'm going thru that right now

This too shall pass my man.

..Like all things in bonsai it will take some time though.

ynot

[Bonsaimatt]

yeah. I got "bonsai soil" it's just that I'm getting so varied with the types of plants (some are acid lovers, some like sandy soil, some just regular (if there is such a thing) soil, ya know) that I have that I'm going to have to start mixing my own soil. That should be cheaper in the long run anyways by buying big bags of one type and mixing them, ya know that whole bulk thing.

Do you guys have any good places to buy soil components from? I wana good deal (like most people) on soil.

BTW dallas bonsai's website has two for one seed packages deals for 4.95 each.

[Gnome]

Matt,

Do you guys have any good places to buy soil components from? I wana good deal (like most people) on soil.

I have purchased Turface and small lava rock from the Monks in GA. It seems foolish though to ship rocks like that so I began searching for materials that could be obtained locally, preferably in bulk.

I found a landscape supply that had Haydite for sale in bulk and he gave it to me for a really good price. I got 25 gallons of it for less than I paid for one bag of Turface mail order. Lava rock is another good component if you can find the right size. I have crushed it myself on occasion, my nephew like to help with this, but it is a PITA and you need several sizes of screens to size it correctly. You should have screens any way though.

There are other options, the same people "Profile" who make Turface also make other products that are similar in nature that are used for aquaculture/ponds but I am not personally familiar with them.

Some use oil-dry or dry-zits, products that are intended to soak oil spills in garages, but these products may not hold up as well in the long term. In the UK a well known bonsai artist uses a specific brand of kitty litter.

I have even collected large grit/small gravel from local stream and cleaned and sized it. So there are a lot of options, start doing some research in your area to find out what is around. Here are some links that may help.

[url=https://www.profileproducts.com/sports_fields/product.cfm?category=1&product=trf_mvp&bhcp=1]Turface MVP[/url]
[url=https://www.hpbhaydite.com/Haydite_Soil_Amendments.htm]Haydite[/url]

Norm

[ynot]

yeah. I got "bonsai soil" it's just that I'm getting so varied with the types of plants (some are acid lovers, some like sandy soil, some just regular (if there is such a thing) soil, ya know) that I have that I'm going to have to start mixing my own soil. That should be cheaper in the long run anyways by buying big bags of one type and mixing them, ya know that whole bulk thing.

You may find that you need less tweaking than you think, Say three varieties -OR- You may individualize each tree...

Thats the thing about soil, 'It's Personal'

It's more accurate perhaps to say it is 'singular' as it relates to a combination of:
The tree species, Your climate, And your habits wrt watering.

If you change any one of these three things it potentially changes the amount of time required between waterings.
There are many more variables IE: Pot size, Sun/Shade, Season, Tree health, Repot, Age, Defoliation...Etc.
I am sure you can think of others.

It comes down to starting with good components and then tweaking the combination to see if you can improve the results. I admit to being a proponent of the 'Keep it simple' mindset when it comes to bonsai soil.

I want my soil to be one simple thing: Effective.

I am happy with how effective my soil is at promoting fine fibrous root systems required to have thriving trees in extremely shallow pots.

Do you guys have any good places to buy soil components from? I wana good deal (like most people) on soil.

[url=https://www.profileproducts.com/sports_fields/product.cfm?category=1&product=trf_mvp&bhcp=1]Turface MVP[/url] Call the 800# at this website and ask them to find your local dealer [It will most likely be an ag place.].

Akadama, To many of the pros this is the holy grail of bonsai soil, A High fired clay particles that retain moisture and oxygen.

Ask your local dealer about Turface MVP, Mine [A 45 minute drive] has 50lb bags for less than 8$ [Yes! 8$- That is not a typo ]
[Needs to be sifted].

I have used another Profile product [Same company as Turface ] called Schultz aqua soil [It is the 'soil' for water garden plants]

'Arcillite' is what it actually is and though I find it stays a bit too wet [If I am not careful] I have used it as a primary component in my soils for the last 2 or 3 years or so.

Thanks to Gnome, On another thread he wrote:

1. Turface MVP, is is fired clay product that is intended primarily for sports applications but is ideal for use with bonsai. The 'MVP' moniker simply designates the grade/size of the product. The parent company of this product, distributes various products under various names. Many of which have been used as bonsai components.

2.[url=https://www.hpbhaydite.com/Haydite_Soil_Amendments.htm]Haydite[/url] , is an expanded shale material. I believe its intended application is for construction and is available in various grades as well.

3. Lava rock, the familiar material that is seen as a landscape product in almost any home center/box store. The problem is locating it in the proper size. I have read that some have located the proper size locally but I never have. I am limited to either buying by mail order, something I try to avoid for obvious reasons, or sizing it myself.

4. Perlite, an expanded mineral that resembles Styrofoam beads is available everywhere and is effective if not particularly attractive.

I will try to add a bit to this in a while..

ynot

[KKenn]

yeah. I got "bonsai soil" it's just that I'm getting so varied with the types of plants (some are acid lovers, some like sandy soil, some just regular (if there is such a thing) soil, ya know) that I have that I'm going to have to start mixing my own soil. That should be cheaper in the long run anyways by buying big bags of one type and mixing them, ya know that whole bulk thing.

Do you guys have any good places to buy soil components from? I wana good deal (like most people) on soil.

BTW dallas bonsai's website has two for one seed packages deals for 4.95 each.

I live in Dallas I was thinkin about running up to their storefront this weekend. I know they sell the Akadama stuff there, would you guys recommend that just to start off with or would I be better of making my own mixture?

II took off the glued on rocks and now I realize how dry my poor tree was. I got it's soil nice and moist. (but not too moist) Also there is barely any soil in the pot now. It was mostly rocks LOL And I found the left over of some "moss" they had on top of the soil when I bought it. All it was was a green yarn type stuff....Wal Mart can be very strange sometimes. /shrug




























































nd can't wait to get it into a better pot!

[Gnome]

KKenn,

I live in Dallas I was thinkin about running up to their storefront this weekend.

I have been recently informed that Dallas Bonsai is not really a retailer in the usual sense. They have no showroom so if you go you need to know what you want beforehand. Do all your browsing on their website.

I know they sell the Akadama stuff there, would you guys recommend that just to start off with or would I be better of making my own mixture?

You can try Akadama if you like, either alone or in conjunction with other components. Most growers use some organic components for tropicals. Its been a while since I was at their site but I would wager that they also offer pre-mixed soils, make sure you sieve it. Check them out and make your decision. You may even be able to place your order online and go pick it up if you want.

Norm